Primary School Pupils Programming Robotic Applications: Learning Experiences During a Long-Term Trial

Abstract

Social Robots refer to either autonomous or semi-autonomous robots that interact and communicate with humans within an expected set of behavioral norms (Bartneck and Forlizzi, 2004). The humanoid appearance, speech recognition, and physical movement of robots are the key factors that achieve high acceptance in primary education (Woo et al., 2021). Moreover, the programmable attributes of educational robots allow them to be tailored for a wide range of academic goals and interaction preferences.

In light of the research presented by Ahtinen and Kaipainen (2020), the thesis is a continuation study to compare and reflect pupils’ robotic learning experiences. The goal of the thesis was to study the situation of integrating Nao social robots into the regular curriculum with a different approach, which is pupils acting as both the programmer and the tester of the robotic applications. It is collaborative research with a Finnish primary school and the company Utelias Technologies Oy (eliasrobot.com), the research activities were conducted in a voluntary robotic course in primary school with 4th to 6th grade pupils. This thesis is exploratory research that utilizes the Human-Centered Design (International Organization for Standardization [ISO], 2019) and Research through Design (Zimmerman and Forlizzi, 2014) approaches. The study focuses on the user experience and process of Robot-Assisted Learning in an authentic environment and proposes design solutions to support Child-Robot Interaction. The design solutions are presented through a high-fidelity prototype, Nao Handbook, which allows users to validate the usage and functionalities of the final product.

The two approaches of implementing educational robots (Tanaka and Kimura, 2010; Asher, 1969), ethical concerns (Graaf, 2016; Ahmad et al.,2019; Zaga et al., 2015), and considerations of persuasive design (Bertel and Rasmussen, 2013; Jacobs, 2020) have inspired the research methods throughout the phases of pre-study to prototype evaluation. The research conducted field studies that include both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. In the pre-study, the participants included two groups of pupils aged between 10 to 13 years old (n=25). The research found out pupils had positive robotic learning experiences and the majority perceived Nao with a peer-like robotic character. They demonstrated significant interest in the embodiment of the Nao robot and improved their technology literacy along with robotic programming activities. To support long-term RAL activities, the research proposes an assistive website prototype, Nao Handbook. The design goals include introducing robotic physical attributes to facilitate connectedness between pupils and the Nao robot, guiding robotic programming activities in a child-friendly approach, and lastly, complementing the usage of Elias Robot by presenting animation previews on robotic movement. In the prototype evaluation, the participants included two groups of 11 to 13 years old pupils with distinct learning backgrounds (n=28). The result has shown that the prototype implementation has perceived as a valuable tool in supporting the robotic learning of the first-time user. The Nao Handbook has good navigation and comprehensible content that fulfilled the suggested criteria of Design for Children (Ludi, 1996). Furthermore, the design of the main functionalities provides the cooperative company with a constructive software advancement proposal.

In conclusion, the growing attention of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the reliance on mixed learning methods. The thesis has discovered a potential RAL approach and proven that robotic learning activities can help to advance children’s technology literacy and computational concepts (Chen et al., 2020; Govind et al., 2020). To promote Robot-Assisted Learning, a specific guideline is required to facilitate long-term implementation. Thus, the thesis presents a set of design implications for developing educational robotic software for primary school children, which expect to support the development of educational technologies and contribute to the field of Human-Robot Interaction.